Holding-bracket for an outboard motor



Aug. 9, 1960 Fig. 4

N. S. COONROD HOLDING-BRACKET FOR AN OUTBOARD MOTOR Eiled Feb. 3, 1958INVENTOR. NOBLE s. COONROD HOLDING-BRACKET FOR AN OUTBOARD MOTOR Thisinvention discloses an improved bracket for holding an outboard motor ina raised position at the stern of the boat to which saidmotor ismounted; and, more particularly, discloses a bracket which prevents themotor from turning or shifting when the boat and motor are beingtransported or otherwise moved about.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive andconvenient means for handling an outboard motor that is mounted to thestern of a boat, and for moving said boat with the motor attachedthereto.

Other objects and features of my invention will become evident uponexamination of the following description, taken in-conjunction withtheaccompanying single sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of my bracket;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the cable assembly used to hold thebracket and motor in position; and

Figures 3 and 4 are rear and side views, respectively, of a typicalmotor and boat assembly with my bracket and cable assemblies mounted inthe preferred position.

In Figures 3 and 4, a typical motor 1 is shown mounted at the stern of atypical boat 2, in the usual manner, by

nited States Patent Patented Aug. 9, 1960 changed to accommodatedifferent shaped projections 7, or blocks 12 can be easily replaced, byremoving bolts 14 and then removing blocks 12 from between plates 10 and11. Furthermore, the number of openings such as 16, and blocks such as12, may be varied as necessary in accordance with theupper-housing-projection configuration on the particular outboard motorwith which my bracket may be used.

Bracket 8 is held in place by cables 9, with openings 15 engagingprojections 7, thereby holding motor 1 in the raised position as shown.further raising of motor 1, that is, prevents pivoting of motor 1 so asto raise propeller 5 to a higher position. Thus, with cables 9 snuglyfastened, motor 1 is held rigidly in place and prevented from eitherpivoting or rotating. The cable assemblies 9 consist of locking-typeclamping means 3. The boat and motor are shown in functional form, sincea detailed description thereof is unnecessary for a complete descriptionofmy invention.

It should suffice to point out that clamping means 3 is of conventionaldesign and permits the motor 1 to be pivoted between the raised positionshown in Figures 3 and 4, and the operating position with shaft 4 in avertical position and propeller 5 in the water; and permits the motor tobe rotated about the axis of shaft 4 so as to cause a change in thedirection of movement of boat 1 in the water when the motor isoperating, all in the usual manner. Upper housing 6 of motor 1 may beformed with two ear-like projections extending from the rear thereof, asis seen most clearly in Figure 3. These earlike projections, which aresimilar to those provided on a number of the outboard motors presentlyin wide spread use, engage recesses in my bracket 8 in the mannerdescribed below. Although I have shown my invention for use with a motorhaving two ear-like projections at the rear of the upper housing, itshould be understood that the shape and number of such projections formsno part of my invention, it being only necessary that some projectingmeans be provided on the upper housing of the motor for engagement by mybracket.

The frame of my bracket 8 consists of a metal front plate 10 having twoopenings 1'6 therein, and a metal back plate 11 mounted to said frontplate by means such as rivets 13, thereby forming a sleeve havingflanges on opposite sides thereof. An opening 17 is provided in each ofsaid flanges to receive hook 18 of cable assembly 9. Blocks 12, whichare formed from wood, hard rubber, or other suitable material, aremounted between plates 10 and 11 as shown, and held in place by bolts14. Openings 15 in blocks 12 are shaped to fit snugly over projections 7of motor 1. The shape of openings 15 can be hooks 18 which engageopenings 17 in bracket 8, cable 19, and hook 20 which engages eye-bolt21. As shown 'in Figure 4, eye-bolts 21 are preferably mounted slightlyforward of housing 6 so as to provide a more positive holding effect.These cable assemblies make it relatively easy to adapt my bracket todifferent types of boats and motors, since the length of cables 19, andthe position of eye-bolts 21, can be varied as necessary.

What has been described is considered to be the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, but it should be understood that modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A bracket assembly for holding an outboard motor in a, raisedposition at thestern of a boat, wherein the upper housing of said motoris formed with a projection extending [from the rear thereof,comprising: a pair of cables individually connectable to opposite sidesof said boat, a bracket formed with a recessed portion and two flanges,a holding block mounted in said recessed portion and formed with ashaped opening adapted to fit snugly over said projection, and meansmounted to each of said cables for fastening said cables to said flangeswhen said block is fitted over said projection, to thereby hold saidmotor in a raised position and prevent it from turning or shifting.

2. A bracket assembly for holding an outboard motor in a raised positionat the stern of a boat, wherein the upper housing of said motor isformed with a projection extending from the rear thereof, comprising: asleeve having a pair of flanges on opposite sides thereof and an openingin another side, a holding block formed with a shaped opening adapted tofit snugly over said projection, means for mounting said holding blockwithin said sleeve so as to align said shaped opening with saidfirst-menti'oned opening, and means for fastening said flanges toopposite sides of said boat with said projection fitted into saidaligned openings to thereby hold said motor in a raised position andprevent it from turning or shifting.

3. A bracket assembly for holding an outboard motor in a raised positionat the stern of a boat, wherein the upper housing of said motor isformed with a projection extending from the rear thereof, comprising: apair of supporting strips having equal and opposite transverse bends ateach end thereof, one of said strips being formed with an openingtherein; means for fastening said strips together so as to form arectangular 'sleeve having a flange at opposite sides thereof, saidopening being located in another side; a holding block formed with ashaped opening that is adapted to fit snugly over said projection; meansfor mounting said holding block within said sleeve so as to align saidopenings; and a pair of cable assemblies for securing said flanges toopposite sides of said boat when said projection is fitted into saidaligned openings to Clamping means 3 prevents 3 thereby hold said motorin a raised position and prevent turning or shifting thereof.

4. A bracket assembly for holding an outboard motor in a raised positionat the stern of a boat, wherein the outboard motor is mounted to saidboat by conventional clamping means, and the upper housing of said motoris provided with one or more projections extending from the rearthereof, comprising: a. bracket having a shaped opening therein adaptedto fit snugly over at least one of said projections, and a cableassembly mounted to said bracket and connectable to said boat, saidcable assembly efiective when connected to said boat to hold saidbracket firmly against said projection and thereby hold said motor in araised position and prevent turning or shifting thereof 5. Incombination: a boat; an outboard motor comprising an upper housing, anda driving propeller, and a shaft member mounted between said housing andsaid propeller, said housing having at least one projection at the. rearthereof; clamping means for mounting said motor at the stern of saidboat, said clamping means being effective to permit rotation of saidmotor about the axis of said shaft member to change direction of boatmovement, and to permit pivoting said motor between an upper limitposition whereat said propeller would be out of water and a lower limitposition with said propeller in a driving position; a bracket memberhaving a shaped portion adapted to fit snugly over at least one of saidprojections; and means for connecting said bracket member to said boatwhen said motor is in said upper limit position, and said bracket memberis fitted over said projection, [to prevent said rotation and pivoting.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein said last mentionedmeans includes a pair of cable assemblies for connecting said bracketmember to opposite sides of said boat.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein said bracket membercomprises a sleeve having a pair of flanges on opposite sides thereofand an opening in another side, a holding block formed with a shapedopening for engaging said projection, and means for mounting saidholding block within said sleeve so as to align said openings.

2,745,673 Koepke May 15, 1956

